The Wonders of Wadi Rum, Jordan
Table of Contents
Stories and photos by Jim Thomas (unless otherwise indicated)
While taking a cruise on The Seabourn Encore from Singapore through the Suez Canal to Athens, Greece, I visited the Port of Aqaba, Jordan. Aqaba was the largest and most populous city, with approximately 188,000 people, located on the gulf of Aqaba. It was situated directly across the border from the Israeli beach resort city of Eilat.
Its strategic location on the northeastern tip of the Red Sea between the continents of Africa and Asia has made Aqaba a port of vital importance for thousands of years. The city’s close proximity to Petra and Wadi Rum made Aqaba one of the legs of Jordan’s Golden Tourist Triangle
The ship offered several tours. The vast majority of passengers (12 full tour buses) opted for the tour to Petra, made famous in the movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Petra is a historical and archaeological city about 80 miles from Aqaba. The city is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. Petra was discovered by the western world in 1812 and was considered to be one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World.
I had been to Petra the previous year, when I spent a month in Israel. I agree that everyone should visit Petra – once. I shared in the excitement of my fellow passengers making the journey there. However, until they returned from Petra, I didn’t discuss a few items that were not in the tour brochure. One was the fact that the vast majority of pictures of Petra were of the famous Treasury. It truly was a magnificent spectacle.
However, the brochure didn’t show the numerous, tacky, trinket stands and snack bars that were behind you as you looked at the treasury. Also, getting to the area of the treasury, many people rode camels, donkeys, and horses, downhill through a narrow canyon, just like Indiana Jones. What the brochure didn’t mention was that the animals remained in the area in front of the Treasury for extended periods and, over a period of time, did what most animals do. Since there wasn’t much air circulation at the bottom of the canyon, the place reeked worse than the old Chicago stockyards! Like life, if you do it right, once is enough. Already having checked Petra off on my “bucket list,” I opted for the tour to Wadi Rum!
We’re on to Wadi Rum
We’re on to Wadi Rum!” In the 1962 epic classic, “Lawrence of Arabia,” this was what the Bedouin Tribal Chief, Auda Abu Tayi (played by Anthony Quinn), yelled to galvanize his tribe onward. What was a “Wadi Rum?”
For some, it could have been a specialty drink at one of Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite Havana bars or some fierce competition for the Ron Rico Rum industry. In reality, a wadi is defined as a valley, ravine, or channel in the desert that is dry except in the rainy season. The word “rum” means high.
Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon because of its unusual landscape and rock formations, lies approximately 60 KM east of Aqaba and is the largest wadi in Jordan. The surrounding area is filled with gigantic sandstone and granite rock formations and swirling sand dunes. The redness in the rock is truly striking and caused by iron oxide. No wonder it was chosen as the set for the film, “MARS.” A protected UNESCO site since 2011, it is estimated that Wadi Rum is the size of New York City.
Historical Significance of Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum had specific historical significance because it was where the famous World War I British Army Officer, T. E. Lawrence formed an Arab Army during 1917 and 1918 as part of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Turkish control. During WWI, T. E. Lawrence became a military advisor to King Faisal and ended up helping to unite the various Bedouin tribes into an effective fighting force that did the assumed impossible. They attacked and captured the strategic Turkish stronghold of Aqaba.
This victory enabled the British to use Aqaba as the supply point for further Arab / British operations during the war. The success of the Arab forces enabled them to establish themselves as nations within the regions and impacted today’s Middle East. While Hollywood exercised a certain poetic license in filming the attack on Aqaba, the results and rewards of the capture of Aqaba, and the creation of a strong Arab army were well documented. In his post-war autobiography “Seven Pillars of Wisdom,” T. E. Lawrence details his experiences during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks.
Mechanized Camels in the Desert
We were a small group making the 40-mile journey to Wadi Rum and only needed one tour bus. We left the port area and took a quick tour of the city of Aqaba before heading out into the desert. The terrain reminded me of home and the drive between Las Vegas, NV and Kingman, AZ. It was rocky, arid desert. We traveled in an easterly direction for nearly an hour before we arrived at a compound that was the starting point for our 4 X 4 tour of Wadi Rum and the desert area. From the compound, we had an excellent view of the rock formation that, in 1980, was named, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, after Lawrence’s book by the same name.
At the compound, the group was divided into smaller groups of 4 that were assigned a white, well-worn, old Toyota pick-up truck with padded benches and a canvas awning that attempted to provide shade from the sun. It was said that the Bedouin had remained the same over the centuries. The only real change was that they had exchanged their camels for Toyota pick-up trucks and had cell phones.
A Modern Caravan Through the Desert
Once loaded, our caravan of 10 Toyota pick-ups began a three-hour trek across the desert past Wadi Rum and forged ahead to The Valley of the Moon. We passed the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, following the same path that T. E. Lawrence and the Arab Army used as they progressed toward Aqaba.
In doing so, we witnessed some of the most magnificent desert scenery in the world. The bounces and bumps on the ride were well worth the dramatic vistas, wind-sculptured hills, desert dunes, and even more gargantuan rock formations.
Ancient Petroglyphs
Stopping along the way, we visited stone age petroglyphs, etchings, and carvings left on the rocks made by nomads over the centuries. These gave a unique snapshot into history of humanity that stretched over millenniums. I could have spent days just looking at those and wondering about their creators. We also saw camel caravans of tourists experiencing this majestic land from atop the traditional desert beast of burden. As hot as it was, I was grateful for the rickety old Toyota that could generate some form of breeze as we sped across the desert.
After several stops to view the rock scenery and works of art, we made our way to our first Bedouin tent. There we enjoyed Bedouin tea as our guide talked about the nomadic people who had existed in this austere environment over the centuries. After our tea, we boarded our “mechanized camels,” and continued through the desert, passing other Bedouin tents and groups of camels, until we visited our last tent for more tea, bottled water, and snacks.
Our Wonderful Guide in Wadi Rum
I should mention that our guide had served as an Intelligence Officer in the Jordanian Army and had gone to Army schools in America. He was very knowledgeable and had a wonderful sense of humor. Being retired military and in a similar career field, we had an instant friendship. At the end of the tour, he presented me with his red and white headscarf as a gift. I was truly touched and appreciated his gesture. However, I had nothing to give in return.
Asking if he had little children? Answering, “Yes,” I gave him some money, not as payment for the headscarf, which he refused, but with the request that he take his entire family out for ice cream on me. We both smiled and he agreed to that. The headscarf was probably the most meaningful souvenir of my entire trip.
Returning to Aqaba
The return trip to Aqaba was interrupted by a stop at a souvenir shop that appeared to be out in the middle of nowhere. As usual, we wondered who’s relative owned this shop because we had seemed to pass other larger shops along the way. A book on Wadi Rum was the only souvenir I bought.
Once in Aqaba, we made our way through the city to the port facility and we arrived late in the afternoon. Cool beverages and showers awaited us so we could rid ourselves of the desert dust and sand and refresh ourselves.
Why Visit Wadi Rum?
The movie “Lawrence of Arabia” gave a great boost to Jordanian Tourism. The alien landscape of Wadi Rum became one of the legs of the Golden Jordanian Tourist Triangle. The red-rose colored carved structures of Petra and the sandy beaches of Aqaba are the other two legs. Wadi Rum is where the current unification of the Arab Tribes began and formed the many countries in the Arab region. Aside from the historical and political significance, the rock forms and the swirling desert dunes of Wadi Rum have a unique beauty and majesty unlike any other place on earth! America, China, and Africa all have deserts, but they can’t compare to the superb splendor of Wadi Rum.
Jim Thomas – Originally from Aurora, IL, I served 26 years in the U. S. military around the world. Thus far, my travels have taken me to all 7 continents and 114 countries. I delight in the opportunity to actually visit places and experience cultures that most people only read about. My undergraduate degrees in history and political science and a master’s degree in public administration have given me an understanding of world history and the various political issues, globally. My master’s degree in special education from The Johns Hopkins University, combined with 24 years teaching experience, have given me an awareness and insight into the human needs of various cultures. Thus, I use all of these tools in planning my travels and writing my stories. I hope these narratives will serve as an interesting read as well as a useful reference for your own future travels. Jim is a member of ITWPA and you can read more about his travels at Jimpatjourneys.com.
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